title: Association between maternal alcohol consumption in early pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the association between alcohol consumption and binge drinking before and during early pregnancy and adverse pregnancy outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used data from 5,628 nulliparous pregnant participants recruited to the Screening for Pregnancy Endpoints (SCOPE) study, a prospective cohort study. Participants were interviewed at 15 weeks of gestation and information on alcohol intake before pregnancy and until the time of interview was obtained using a standardized questionnaire. Alcohol intake was classified as occasional (1-2 units per week), low (3-7 units per week), moderate (8-14 units per week), and heavy (greater than 14 units per week). Binge alcohol consumption was defined as consumption of 6 or more alcohol units in one session.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 5,628 participants, 1,090 (19%) reported occasional alcohol consumption, 1,383 (25%) low alcohol consumption, 625 (11%) moderate alcohol consumption, and 300 (5%) heavy alcohol consumption. Overall, 1,905 (34%) participants reported binge alcohol consumption in the 3 months before pregnancy, and 1,288 (23%) of these participants reported binge alcohol consumption during the first 15 weeks of pregnancy. Participants who consumed occasional to heavy amounts of alcohol in early pregnancy did not have altered odds of a small-for-gestational-age neonate, reduced birth weight, preeclampsia, or spontaneous preterm birth. Similarly, those who binge drank in early pregnancy did not have altered odds of these adverse pregnancy outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Alcohol consumption in early pregnancy was prevalent in this nulliparous cohort. There was no association between alcohol consumption before 15 weeks of gestation and small for gestational age, reduced birth weight, preeclampsia, or spontaneous preterm birth.
  
  
  METHODS
  : II.
authors.affiliation: Irish Centre for Fetal and Neonatal Translational Research (INFANT), University College Cork, and the National Perinatal Epidemiology Centre, Cork University Maternity Hospital, Wilton, Cork, Ireland; the Department of Maternal and Fetal Medicine and the Division of Women's Health, Women's Health Academic Centre, King's College London and King's Health Partners, London, United Kingdom; the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, and the National Centre for Growth & Development and Maternal and Fetal Health, Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; the Women's and Children's Division, Lyell McEwin Hospital, University of Adelaide, and the School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health, Robinson Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia; and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, St James University Hospital, Leeds, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Fergus P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.forename: Linda M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: O'Keeffe
authors.forename: Ali S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Khashan
authors.forename: Robyn A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: North
authors.forename: Lucilla
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Poston
authors.forename: Lesley M E
authors.initials: LME
authors.lastname: McCowan
authors.forename: Philip N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.forename: Gus A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Dekker
authors.forename: Claire T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: James J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: Louise C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Kenny
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies